CPI's Rajya Sabha member Binoy Viswam has asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who sought forgiveness from Lord Ram for the delay in constructing a temple in Ayodhya, also apologize for the destruction of Babri Masjid.

In a social media post after the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Viswam, who is the Kerala state secretary of the CPI taunted the prime minister over his emotional speech earlier in the day.

View of the Ram Temple on the eve of its consecration ceremony, in Ayodhya, Sunday, Jan. 21. 2024. Photo: PTI
View of the Ram Temple on the eve of its consecration ceremony, in Ayodhya, Sunday, Jan. 21. 2024. Photo: PTI

"Will the prime minister, who apologised to Rama for the delay in constructing the temple, apologise to the women of Manipur? Will Modi, who said Ram was about tolerance and equality, apologize to the faithful for the demolition of Babri Masjid?" Viswam posted.

In his Ayodhya address, Modi said: "Today, I also apologise to Lord Shri Ram. There must be something lacking in our effort, sacrifice and penance that we could not do this work for so many centuries. Today the work has been completed. I believe that Lord Shri Ram will definitely forgive us."

Activists of Vishva Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organisations, who were part of a Rath Yatra led by veteran BJP leader L K Advani, had demolished Babri Masjid, a 16th-century mosque that stood in Ayodhya.

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Advani and several other BJP leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, were accused of making provocative speeches ahead of the demolition. However, in 2020, a special court acquitted the trio along with 29 other accused.